How to Prevent Frostbite

It's a post that makes me cold just writing it.

I fully intended to post a picture of real frostbite so you could get an idea of what it is like, but it is truly gruesome.  The blackened fingers and yellow-gray blistery skin made me feel ill just looking at it.  If you really want to see it, there are countless photo references to be found on the web, or you can just take my word that it is horrible and follow the tips below to avoid it.

Frostbite is tissue damage as a result of your skin freezing.  It starts first in the extremities (fingers, toes, nose, ears) where heat has a harder time reaching but can move deeper with increased exposure.  Frostbite begins as frostnip, then progresses as superficial frostbite, then deep frostbite.  Here are some tips to avoid getting frostbite:

1. Dress for the weather.  This may seem an obvious tip, but it is for that reason that it is easily neglected.  Don't underestimate the weather.  Make sure your head is covered since a large portion of your body's heat is lost through the head.  Make sure you have well-insulated clothes against wind and rain and pick fabrics that will insulate you even when wet (wool = yes, cotton = no!), but try to stay dry anyway.  Dress in several thin layers but make sure your layers aren't too tight because this could restrict circulation.  Mittens rather than gloves allow your fingers to benefit from the warmth of nearby fingers.  You can also use body warmers to counteract the cold.  Keep all your body warm to aid the extremities.
2. When participating in outdoor activities in freezing weather, monitor your energy levels.  Don't exhaust yourself because that could affect your ability to detect and fight the frostbite.  Stay well-fed and well-watered.  Eat small servings of simple carbohydrates frequently to keep up your energy and heat supply.  And as in almost anything else, dehydration will only interfere with your body's efficiency and speed the frostbite.
3. Numbness is one of the early signs of frostbite.  Rubbing before frostbite has set in helps to warm your body by creating friction and increasing circulation.  Keep moving to keep blood flowing.  Be wary of patches of white, very cold skin (frostnip) because it could very quickly become frostbite.  Tuck cold toes and fingers inside your clothes next to warm skin to help their temperature return to normal.  Don't rub body parts that have frostbite already or subject them to high heat because that could make the damage worse.
4. Avoid drinking alcohol.  This not only impairs your judgement, but also dehydrates you.  Caffeine and nicotine are also no-no's because they constrict blood vessels and impair circulation.